1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with a vacuum therapy system for use in treatment of male sexual dysfunction which is compactly constructed for ease of use and storage. The pump piston is actually oriented with respect to a penile receiving tube whereby the pump body may be mounted in either an operating or storage position, and the pump piston presents an efficient structure for obtaining and maintaining a vacuum within a tube adapted for receiving a male organ therewithin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of different devices and methods have been utilized to treat male sexual dysfunction in those men who have difficulty in producing an erection in a normal manner. Included in this field are those devices which include a tube which is large enough to contain the erected penis and adapted to be sealed around the penis when it is not erect, as well as a pump operable to evacuate air from the tube to produce a partial vacuum around the penis. The evacuation of air from within the tube causes blood to flow into the vessels of the male organ and engorge the penis under normal blood pressures. Thus, the additional supply of blood produces an erection. In some instances, it may be necessary to employ a constrictor band around the base of the penis in order to maintain the erection after it has been produced.
A variety of different devices for producing an erection by vacuum therapy have been known in the art, including prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,411 which issued Jan. 12, 1988. While these devices have generally been effective in producing a vacuum within a tube adapted to receive the male organ, they have sometimes proven cumbersome and difficult to use. The size and weight of the pump apparatus have made them difficult to manipulate in use, and in fact have been of such a scale as to be somewhat frightening to the user or his partner. Moreover, the sheer size and weight of these units have made movement and storage sometimes difficult. The size and configuration of these units has additionally made it difficult to pack such apparatus in suitcases for use during travel. As such, there has developed a need for a compact, easily storable, simple to use vacuum therapy device which can be economically manufactured and easily manipulated in use.